ProChoice Lobby Day 2005

kelly wirth rocks

2005-02-24T15:29:00.000-08:00

house district 16 repesentative kelly wirth is committed to planned parenthood, naral, and totally pro choice! she needs our help, help, help!

This is what ProChoice Oregon Looks Like!

2005-02-24T15:19:00.000-08:00

Lindsay Keiser

2005-02-24T14:45:00.000-08:00

LOBBY DAY 2005!!! What a day... starting off with a long, but spirited car ride to the capitol and a hectic few hours of chaotic organization to get everything under "control." Then, with a room full of estrogen, how could we go wrong?? All in all, it turned out to be one successful experience, and a hell of a lot of fun! stand up for choice!!!

Reproductive rights a main theme in women's lives

2005-02-24T14:28:00.000-08:00

Marilyn Blen: I have supported Planned Parenthood financially for years. I think along with NARAL, PP is the last bastion of women's reproductive security. With the conservative right doing everything legislatively possible to thwart a woman's reproductive control over her body, it is especially important for pro-choice persons to gather strength and have our voices heard.

I personally have depended on Planned Parenthood for reproductive choice and my two daughters have needed the advise and care that PP delivers. This is why I wanted to come to Salem today. This is my first time to the capitol to lobby. It has been an empowering experience. I did this for my daughters and my granddaughters and all the lovely women of the world. Thanks, PP for sponsoring this event.

I enjoyed the march and comraderie of persons who also believe that reproductive choice is a woman's human right. I found the organization of the event very well planned. Much to my disappointment, I did not get to meet with my representative, Rep. Bonnie George, who was out of town. Knowing that she is Republican and we don't share views about much of anything, I was especially looking forward to bending her ear. I had some poignant stories to tell. however, her staff aide, Jackie, took judicious notes and was very attentive and assured that she would make sure Rep. George heard my opinions. I left my email, perhaps we can continue the conversation.

I was disappointed that more men did not show up. A woman's reproductive rights should be just as important to them and it would be refreshing if they realized that. I was surprised to see the number of young women, perhaps at this point in my life, everyone seems younger than me. More power to them!

New to pro-choice activism

2005-02-24T14:17:00.000-08:00

Tara Parrish: I am new to volunteering with Planned Parenthood, and this my first Lobby Day. It was an amazing feeling crossing the street from Willamette to the Oregon State Capitol with so many other people who felt the same way that I did. My meetings with Peter Courtney and Billy Dalto are coming up in just a few minutes, and I'm a little nervous, but at the same time I feel empowered to participate in an event for a cause in which I am passionate about. It's been a long day; I got here at 8am, but I am so happy I was able to participate. The energy is very good here.

the idea of equity

2005-02-24T14:07:00.001-08:00

Jacob Stein
Pro Choice lobby day is the continuation of an attempt at equal rights. I get the pleasure of lobbying for House bill2509/senate bill 756. This bill focused on providing contraceptive equity for women who have, as usual, recieved the short end of the stick.

The pill is not covered for 40% of workers endrolled in convetional health plans. This is attrocious and is direct discrimination. A battle that was started with Margaret Sanger is still an issue a hundred years later. This bill is so important for the pursuit of equity in all walks of life. Women have suffered long enough economically, physically and emotionally at the whim of the governement and society, it is time we take another step to ending that injustice.

Being here is that step for me. Never have I seen so much more energy and support for women. Rock on guys for showing up. David Greenberg said something along the lines of "the fight isn't over until we give up. And we aren't giving up!" I am not giving up. I can't. We can't. If ever the world is to treat women with respect and equality.

Pro Choice Lobby Day

2005-02-24T14:07:00.000-08:00

Cheryl Richardson -

Here we are at the Captiol Building for Pro Choice lobby day. Several hundred participants met early this morning at Willamette University. The speakers were uplifting and educational. The best part of the day so far was the march from Willamette to the Capitol steps. The participants are all dressed in pink shirts and the sea of pink stopped traffic on State Street while the march made its way to the steps. It was so amazing to be part of the energy supporting choice!!!

Students for Choice

2005-02-24T13:58:00.000-08:00

Lesley Meyer - It was so great to see so many men and women of all ages turn out in support of choice. Willamette Students have been coming up to me ever since our rally across campus to the capital to tell me how great it sounded when we interupted their classes with our cheers. Young women need to take the time to participate in a day like this, they need to know that their voices will be heard if they dare to speak out. Unfortunately most students at Willamette don't even realize that right across the street bills regarding our reproductive freedom are treated like everyday business. Please, everyone, STAND UP FOR CHOICE!

Disappointment re lack of acess.

2005-02-24T13:44:00.000-08:00

My name is Sandra and I am a constituent of yours (Sen. Jackie Winters). I attended the Planned Parenthood Pro-Choice rally at the Capitol. I was very impressed with the number of people who took days off from work or school to attend this rally.

Our group waited quietly outside of the hearing room to have, perhaps, a moment or so to speak with you regarding our concerns about the potential dangers to our right to reproductive choice. It was disappointing that you chose not to pause to hear our voices. We realize that you are not Pro-Choice but hoped that you would be willing to hear us.

I have worked 20 years in Mental Health and know the emotional cost for women of not having access to birth control, or counseling for making the difficult decisions connected to unwanted pregnancies. I hope that, in future, you will be open to hearing our concerns.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

These issues not only affect women, but the men who love them.

2005-02-24T13:36:00.000-08:00

Mark Paul Harwood

I'm proud to be here and happy to be learning so much about women's rights--how to preserve and improve them. Perhaps the most important thing I've learned today is that my voice does, in fact, matter. Like so many, I felt jaded; my voice was not heard by the government, I thought. But it's only because I was not speaking loud enough and to the right people. Like directly to the representatives. I did that today and was happy to find that my rep. feels as I do and is taking his and my ideas to those who don't agree or are not sure what they believe. This is how information spreads; this is how results are prouduced. Action.

learning so much!

2005-02-24T13:30:00.001-08:00

Rosario Ruvalcaba

This, so far, has been a very educational experience. I am learning so much about the current house bills and the government. This is definitely making me want to take a political science class spring term! It's beautiful that we can actually talk with our legislators and not just have an opinion. I have so much new ammo . . . you are screwed, Sean (I still love you, though).

P.S. There's lots of awesome people here, too. Yay, Italy!

rescheduled

2005-02-24T13:30:00.000-08:00

My Representative rescheduled without our notice. Raychal, Sasha, Becca, Sarah and myself, Karen Sorbel were to meet with Rep. Linda Flores District 51 at 1:30 - when we got there Rep. Flores was leaving for another meeting saying our meeting had been rescheduled to meet with her assistant at 2:45. She was in a hurry to leave but she listened to our thanks and shook a hand. I was hoping to meet with her in person - I do understand that she is busy. I want her to understand how important this issue of CHOICE is to us. We must have choice for our own bodies - contraception must be covered by insurance as a more cost-effective policy for family health care. Thank you, Karen Sorbel, Oregon City.

my experience so far

2005-02-24T13:13:00.000-08:00

Bettina A.
Great experience, great organizers, great turnout and a long and strenuous fight ahead to keep Oregon a pro-choice state.

Wish you were here!! A few pics...

2005-02-24T13:04:00.000-08:00

makin some pro-choice noise

2005-02-24T13:01:00.000-08:00

just finished our rally...wow, Planned Parenthood looked fantastic! It was all pink...I can't wait until the pictures are uploaded. Mary Oberst, the Governor's wife spoke and questioned why "erectile dysfunction" commercials don't come with a warning to use contraception. She also wanted to know why the Bush Administration is so intent on getting the government out of social security while at the same time wanting to intrude on people's bodies.

The first volunteers to post a blog (that aren't staff), Kendra and Sasha say: The rally was amazing, it's great to see people of all ages and genders in support of women's choice. It was very empowering to march to the Capitol building, knowing that we might be able to make a difference.

Laughs, ups and downs

2005-02-24T11:50:00.000-08:00

So at this point we have over 350 people turned out for Pro-Choice Lobby Day. This is a hundred more than we have ever had in the past so we are feelin pretty fancy...

Organizing lobby day triumph-getting 350 in Salem

Organizing nightmare- realizing we did not have internet access at the Smith Building. Having to run cords to the far outside of the building to pick up a signal so that we could tell people what House and Senate District they lived in.....

Off to the rally, look for posts and pictures in a minute!

Organized Chaos

2005-02-24T10:55:00.000-08:00

Wow! Hundreds of people in pink STAND UP FOR CHOICE!!!
It's just AWESOME!
We're at Smith Auditorium right now, getting ready to set up over at the capitol and the crowd is going WILD!
Pics coming soon!!!

PPCW Organizers Workin Hard!

2005-02-23T16:54:00.000-08:00

So after calling 5,000 people, Planned Parenthood of the Columbia Willamette Field Organizers have successfully recruited 450 people to join us for Pro-Choice Lobby Day. Tonight is the night before the big day, we have all been here since 8am, and are completing reminder calls to all of the volunteers that have registered to remind them about the big day tomorrow--

Organizing highlight- Having several Legislators become irritated with us when we reported to them that they had 50, 60, and sometimes 70 people coming to see them from their district.

Organizing lowlight- realizing when we mailed out the confirmation letters that in spite of our attention to each volunteers specific dietary needs, we neglected to include the date for Pro-Choice Lobby Day.

Biggest fear- managing this blogger site for the first time and watching the only person in the office that knows anything about tech leaving for the day....ADA...come back!

Nicest Legislator so far- Senator Floyd Prozanski who is working his schedule like spiraled pasta to accomodate the 20 people we have recruited to come and see him.

Rudest legislator so far- Senator Jackie Winters who refuses to book a meeting with us in spite of the fact that we have 20 constituents recruited to meet with her...come on Senator...where is the love????

Phonebanking food of choice- Doritos, peanuts, and chocolate chip cookies.

That is it for now. We have yet to figure out how to upload any images on this site :-) (pretend that is me...prochoicemama...smiling) although our tech diva has promised to show us tomorrow. Hopefully it will all work out.

See you at the capitol!

2005-02-23T13:11:00.000-08:00

Check this blog for updates from Planned Parenthood supporters during Pro-Choice Lobby Day 2005 on Thursday 2/24/05!

Oregon's ProChoice Lobby Day 2005

2005-02-21T16:59:00.000-08:00

February 24, 2005 at the Capitol Building in Salem.